Whether you’re planning a cocktail wedding, birthday party or corporate event, choosing the right amount of furniture can be confusing! Unlike a sit-down event (which requires a specific number of tables and chairs), a cocktail event means your guests will be using the space in a completely different way.
With this in mind, how much furniture do you actually need for a cocktail event? Well, it really depends on a few different factors such as your guest list, venue size and food and beverage service. Read on as we share some of our expert tips to help you create the perfect cocktail furniture plan for your upcoming celebration!
The first and most obvious factor when choosing furniture for your cocktail event is your guest numbers. How many people will be joining you on the day? A good rule of thumb is to provide enough seating for between 50 – 70% of your guests at any one time, keeping in mind that not everyone will be sitting down.
With this being said, you should also consider the style of your event. If you’re planning a more casual cocktail party, you may expect more guests to be standing – but if you’re planning a formal affair with designated seating areas (or have a large number of elderly guests) then you might prefer to include some more furniture to keep everyone comfortable. When in doubt, it’s better to have more furniture than not enough!
The size and shape of your venue will also come into play when determining furniture arrangements for a cocktail event. If you’re hosting your event in a smaller venue, you may need to reduce the amount of furniture to avoid overcrowding – but if you’re hosting your event in a larger venue, you’ll want to ensure you have enough furniture to fill the space and prevent it from looking too bare.
Food and beverage service can also impact your furniture requirements for a cocktail event. If you’re serving canapes and bite-sized food, then you may not need as many tables and chairs – but if you’re serving larger portions, you’ll want to ensure there’s plenty of seating options for guests to enjoy their meal.
Now that you have a rough idea on how much furniture you need, let’s explore your different furniture options!
When it comes to furniture hire for a cocktail event, you can choose from the following styles.
We’d recommend including a good selection of both high and low seating options for your event. This allows you to cater for guests of all ages, and also makes your space look visually appealing by adding variety and depth.
You’ll also want to choose pieces that work cohesively together with complementary colours, textures and styles. It’s a good idea to create a mood board and colour palette to help you make furniture selections that work well together (or simply ask our team for suggestions – we love this stuff!).
Once you’ve decided on a selection of furniture items, you’ll need to map out your floor plan to figure out exactly where everything will go.
Bulky items like lounge packages tend to work best along the sides or corners of your venue, while high bars, stools and ottomans can be scattered around the space. We’d recommend getting a copy of your floor plan from your venue so you can pencil everything in to scale.
If you’re currently planning your cocktail wedding or event, we would love to hear from you. Our friendly team can assist you with creating the perfect furniture plan for your celebration! Explore our furniture hire range online, or get in touch with our team here to begin the process. Based on the Gold Coast, we service weddings and events right across Brisbane, Byron Bay, Sunshine Coast, Tweed Coast and beyond.
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